Pentacerotidae

For the species called boarfish, see Capros aper.

Pentacerotidae or armourheads are a small family of ray-finned fishes in the order Acropomatiformes. They are native to the Indian Ocean, western and central Pacific, and southwestern Atlantic.^[2] They are generally found at rocky reefs below normal scuba diving depths, although several species occur in low densities at shallower depths.

Pentacerotidae
Longfin boarfish, Zanclistius elevatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Acropomatiformes
Family:	Pentacerotidae Bleeker, 1859[1]
Genera
see text

Their name, from Greek pente meaning "five" and keras meaning "horn", refers to the prominent, sharp spines in their dorsal fins (though these do not number five in all species). The largest species in the family (Paristiopterus) may reach a length of 1 m (3.3 ft). Many species have distinct dark-and-light-striped bodies, while others are overall dusky-silvery.

Timeline

Genera

The following genera are classified within the family into two subfamilies:^[3][1][4]

• Subfamily Histiopterinae Bleeker, 1876
  • Evistias Jordan, 1907
  • Histiopterus Temminck & Schlegel, 1844
  • Parazanclistius Hardy, 1983
  • Paristiopterus Bleeker, 1876
  • Pentaceropsis Steindachner, 1883
  • Zanclistius Jordan, 1907
• Subfamily Pentacerotinae Bleeker, 1859
  • Pentaceros Cuvier, 1829